Chuck



s. H. EARL June 30, 1931.

CHUCK Filed May 14. 1929 INVENTOR BY 8 HUYLER H EARL ATToRuEfl Patented 1 11 3 11 I 15PATENT OFFICE swarms I QEARL, or Roonnsrniz, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'TO 'GLEASON l woaxs, 1 or" cnucx Application filed/May 14,

I 'I he-prese nt invention relatesto chucking equlpment and particularly'to chucks forstem gears. ;More-'specifically, vthe present invention relatesto chucksof the collet type in which the collet i sconipressedfto grip the.

workiby axial movement. ofthe collet in the work spindle U The-purpose of this invention ,istoprovi-de I a chuck which will not only" clamp ,theWQrk securely but which will center the work-with 1 extreme accuracy the work spindle. a p In collet chucks of the type usuallyuem- With this type ofchriclgthere is alwaysa possibility of; the 'collet becoming canted in the sleeve." Any dirt or grit under oneofthe 2Q fingers or-any inaccura'cyin'the screw; if ascrew is used to drawthe collet up, will cause the work to be thrown out of center with ref-J I collet to the draw-stem; and v erence to the axis 'of vthe'spindlea f'l heerro'r may be ever soslightybut nowadays it is 125 required to cut gears toan accuracy measured in:thousandths ofan inch and even. the slightest eccentricity of the gear or pinion in the work spindle may result in a serious errorwhen the gear'or pinion is cut. i

In the chuck i he present 1nvention,-th e -collet does only the clamping, IA separate member isprovi'ded having accurately ground guide surfaces, ground to conform tosimilar surfaces on the stemof the ge ar or "pinion. ,When' the stem of the {gear or pinion is inbQlvhOldS it truly central in the spindlerandwhen the collet is drawnback, itjgrips'the stem but it cannot throw the stem out o flcentral position. j i

. A'further is-the means for adjustably securingthe collet to the draw-stem andthe means for'locking the connecting screwjagainst rotationand e for releasing this locking means when it is desired to disconnectthe collet from the draw-stem.

I i 7 With the above arid :objectsinlview,

v the invention residesin the'novelfarrange- '5 mentand .combine ol gof,parts and ln he sorted in the work spindle,?this guidefmem 1929. Serial n. 363,039; 1

details of construction.hereinafter described and claimed, it being specifically understood that the invention is notlimitedto the par 7 fticular structure illustrated: in the accornv panying drawings and described in the speci5R 5 fication,ebut1that the structure may be modified within thescope of the inventio d' v the limits of the appended claims.

One practical embodiment of theinvention i is illustrated in the accompanying: drawings, e

,inwhich, I x I e I Figure l isa fragmentary longitudinal sectional view" throughthe work spindle of a gear-cutting machine, showing one embodiment' of my invention in'use in securing a s5 stem-pinion in the Work spindle;

igure 2 is longitudinal sectional viewj f c0llet; I v I Figure 3 an end elevation of the collet look at the rear end thereof;

-' 10 indicatesthe Work spindleofltfor ex j ample, a gear cutting 'machin e and, 11 the stem or shank of a pinion P which is desired-;t o clamp in the work spindle". The

. spindle 10 is provided with a taper bore, as is HQ customary,

I The means for clamping the pinion inthe work spindle includes the guide member 12, vthe sleeve 13 and; the collet 14. Theguide member 12 fits into the 'boreof the spindle 10. 8 Itis provided,ffor convenience with aitapered nose a d, if desired, ma be formed with a; iv

peripheral groove as indicated atf1-5lt0 receive a stock-dividingi'gauge. In the conat 16 in the boreof thespindle and is' threfad'ed at 17rd engage a correspondingly threaded portion of the sleeve 13; The bearing 16'of the guide member andthe internal'periphery 195 7 a of the sleeve 13 are tapered to conform to the 'taperpfthebore of-the spindle 10.1 T'he'guide 'member 12'and the s1eeve 13whenconnected 1 together are inserted as a unit in the bore of he pi d and e miebfl w in i 100, q

n e v, :1 I I Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view f tfi of t l e bfg ht i v'h g struction shown the 'guide memberbears j 3 bore in the clamping of the pinion in the spindle.

The guide member is bored on two different diameters to provide two spaced cylindrical bearing surfaces 18 and 19 and these are ground as the external bearing surface 16 to insure that they will be truly concentric of the spindle axis when the guide member is assembled in the spindle.

The collet is of a usual construction, being formed by slotting a bushing at intervals around its periphery to provide a plurality of resilient gripping lingers 20. The fingers 20 are tapered on their external periphery indicated at 21. The collet is adapted to fit into the bore of the sleeve 13 and is assembled in the sleeve before the sleeve is threaded to the guide member 12.

A portion of the bore of the sleeve 13 is tapered, as indicated at to conform to the taper 21 of the fingers of t 1e collet. To grip the stem 11 of the pinion, the collet is drawn rearwardly in the sleeve 13 with the result that the taper 22 of the sleeve l forces the fingers 20 of the collet inwardly into gripping engagement with the stem 11. If desired, the fingers of the collet may be threaded, as indi cated at 23 to provide an internal serrated gripping surface to insure a more tenacious grip on the stem 11 of the pinion.

To clamp the pinion in the spindle, the stem 11 is inserted in the guide member 12. The stem has bearing surfaces 25 and 26, which are ordinarily ground before the teeth. are cut in the pinion. T hese bearing surfaces 25 and 26 are mounted in the anti-friction l earings in which the pinion is assembled in use, as in the rear rile of an automobile. The bearing surfaces 18 and 19 of the guide mem ber 12 are ground to conform to the diameter of the bearingsurfaces 25 and 26 of the pinion stem. As the bearing surfaces 18 and 19 have been ground concentric of the spindle axis and the bearing surfaces and 2c are concentric of the pinion axis, it will be seen that when the pinion stem is mounted in the guide member 12 the pinion will be held positively so that its axis coincides with the axis of the work spindle, is desires to insure extreme accuracy in the cruting of the teeth of the pinion or in the other operations to be performed thereon.

In collet chucks of prior constructions, no guide member was provided. It was assumed that the collet itself would center the pinion in the work spindle it was drawn back. l have found, however, that should any grit or chips or any foreign particles get'under one of the lingers of a collet, the 1 ion would he warped out of true central posi 'ion the col- ]et was drawn back in the work spindle. \Vith the present construction, however, any inaccuracy in the collet regardless of its cause can have no effect on the centering of the pinion in the spindle for the pinion is absolutely centered by the bearing surfaces 18 and 19 of the guide member 12 and the sole action of the collet is to grip and clamp the pinion stem. With the present construction, therefore, a chuck is provided wholly in keeping with the accuracy demanded in gear cutting or in other operations on gears.

There is another advantage in the present construction and that is, that as the collet moves back after having gripped the stem 26, it brings the back of the gear or pinion up against the nose of the guide member 12. The seating of the work piece against this nose serves to hold. it more rigidly and at the same time since the nose of the guide member will always be at a fixed distance from the end of the spindle, the pinionor gear will always be held when chucked at a fixed distance from the end of the spindle. Thus a fixed point of reference is always had for the machine settings. In collet type chucks of previous constructions, as the collet moved back in the'spindle it carried the gear with it for the full extent of its movement and no definite control was had over the-distance that the toothed portion of the gear :itended beyond the end of the spindle. It is obvious that the present improved chuck makes for much greater accuracy in gear cutting.

The collet is drawn back in the spindleby a draw-stem 30 which may be threaded at its outer end and actuated by a hand wheel or which may be connected to any other suitable operating mechanism, as,for instance, a hydraulic or a spring actuated chucking device.

In the present instance, theconnection-between the collet 1a and the draw stein 3O is made by means of a bolt or screw 31 which provides an adjustable connection therebetween and a suitable washer or shim 32'may be interposed between the end of the draw stem 30 and the end of the collet l4 as'required by the distance between the twowhen the threaded adjustment has been made.

'The draw stem 30 is bored at 33 as an ex tension of the threaded opening 34. A block orplug 85 fits into the bore 33 and slides therein. This block or plug 35 acts as'a lock for the belt or screw 31. rotation by the set-screw 86 which is threaded into the draw stem and the innerend of which engages ina longitudinal slot 37 provided in the plug 35. One end face ofthe plug 35 is serrated to provide teeth wliich=engage corresponding serrations 39 on the opposed end face of the screw 31. -Tlie two serrated surfaces of the plug and screw are normally held in engagement to prevent rotation. of the screw by the spring l0 which is mounted in the bore of the draw presses against the plug 35.

To hold the plug 35 away from the screw 31 to permit rotation of the screw, a rod 12 is provided. his rod 42 is mounted slida'bly stem and It is held against its in the screw 31, th'e sc rew being bored longitudinally for this purpose, The rod is of such length that when the screw 31 has been threaded hometo connect the draw stem 30 and the collet 14, the rod will be forced by the engagement of itsinner endlwith the plug 35 into the kerf 44 in the head of the screw- 31. It will be seen then that when a screwdriver is inserted in the'head of the screw" for the purpose of rotating the screw, as to unthread the same, that the serew-driverwill first engage the rod 42 to force the plug 35 out of engagement with the screw and .permit rotation of the screw. I The simple movement of engaging the screw-driver with the screw as required for rotating the same acts, therefore, torelease the screw. While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention in connection with a particular use therefor,'it will be under stood that the invention is capable of various further modifications and uses and that this application is intended to cover any varia: tions, uses or adaptations of my invention,-

following in general, the principles 'of the invention, and including such v departures; from the'present disclosure as may come w thin known or customary practise in the art to which it pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall within the scope of theinvention or the limits of the appended claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, Iclaimis: e

1. In a chucking device for securing a gear or similar article in a spindle, ,the'combination witha collapsible collet adapted to be actuated on axial movement thereof in the spindle to grip the stem'of the article to be chucked and clamp the same in the spindle, of

what

spindle, a collapsible collet having a plurality of tapered gripping fingers, a sleeve secured to the guide member having .atapered bore adapted to cooperate with the collet to actuate the same into gripping position on movement of the collet axially-in the sleeve, and

meansfor moving the colletaxially to actuate the same to clamping positionand thereafter seat all said parts in the spindle,

3. In a chuck for securingagear or similar article to a spindle, the combination-with a collet adapted to be actuated to gripping position on axial movement of the collet in the a guide member mounted in the spindle hav spindle and a draw stein for moving said col let of means for securing the' collet to the I draw stem comprising a screw which'enga ges tational movement,*said screw :and "block 7 the collet and threads into the 'dr'a'w stem, a spring-pressed blockslidable in the draw I stem, means forholding the block against rohaving'inter-engaging teeth on their opposed 1 V end faces whereby when-the block engages the screw, the screwis held against rotation-' al movement,and' a member connected to the block for disengaging the block from the screw, adapted to extend to a position relative to the head of the screw such that in engaging a suitable tool with the head of the v screwto rotate the same the tool first engages said member to release the block. e

' 4. In a chuck, the combination with a gripping device and a draw stem, of means for securing the gripping device to the draw stem comprising a screw and means for locking the screw against rotation comprising aspring-L pressed block slidable in the draw stem but held against rotational movement relative thereto and having teethon itsend' face I adapted to engage teeth on an opposed end" face of the screw to lock thescrew against rotation, and means for releasing the screw comprising a rodengagingthe block at one v endand slidable in the screw, said rod being v of alength suchfthat when thefblockis en:

gaged with the screw, the outer endjof the rodextendswithin the kerf formedin the head'of the screw. 7 A

,5." A chucking device for securing a gear or similar article in a spindle, comprising a" rigid, non-distortlonable guide member which'is mounted in'the bore of the spindle j and centered therein, said guide member being provided with a guide surface adapted to engage the stem of the article to be chucked'f to center said article in the'bore of thespindleand with means for engaging the article i I 7 to limitaxial movement of said article in one I direction relative to said guide member, means for limiting axial movement of the guidev memberv in the same direction in the spindle, and a collapsible collet housed in said spindle and adapted'to be actuated on axial movement thereof in the'prescribed direction to grip the stem of said article and clamp the article in the spindle.

'6. A chucking .deV-ice forse'curing a gear or similar article ,in a spindle comprising a rigid, non-dlstort' onable" gu de -member which is mounted in the bore ofthe spindle and has an external surface adapted toengage the internal surface of the bore of the spindle to center the guide member in the spindle, said guide member 'beingbored to]- provide an internal guide surface adapted to 3,

engage the stem of the'articl e'to be'chucked to centersaid article in the spindle andrhaving its end surface formed to engage'the rear face of'said articleto limit axial movement V ofsaid article in onedirection relative to the guide member, means for limiting axial movement of the guide member in the same direction in the spindle, and a collapsible collet housed in the spindle and adapted to be actuated on axial movement thereof in the prescribed direction to grip the stem of said article and clamp the article in the spindle.

SCHUYLER H. EAR-L. 

